I would like to take a moment to say thank you from the Leadership Team for your time and sharing at the recent forum meeting. Your thoughts will help us move forward with our work and continue to discern what it means to be engaged in our church and also how we can become a meaningful part of our community, district and denomination. We have a great vision and mission and our charge is to become part of those actions.

Last week, Brenda and I had the opportunity to attend the closing of the Rocky Ford Mennonite Church. I have not been a part of a church closing. However, I am very aware that many churches are heading in that direction. Originally, Rocky Ford built a hospital and primarily Mennonite Church members ran it. Sixty years ago these employees, along with the Mennonite Church, decided to build a church in Rocky Ford. Many years later the hospital closed and most of the “Traditional Mennonites” moved away. As communities evolve, as Rocky Ford has, it is clear that the importance of reaching outside our walls and sharing our mission and vision with the entire community is critical. In our own church, we have seen change over the years from over half of the college faculty and half of the student body being Brethren to a fraction of those percentages. We realize that we too are evolving from our original founding. Our mission, vision, and message have never been more important than the time we find ourselves in now.

I challenge all of us to reach out to our community, share our mission, and invite all to become part of this McPherson Church of the Brethren Community. All individuals are looking for a way to become engaged with a community like ours, even if they do not realize it at this time. There is a vision bigger than our day-to-day workings. It is our challenge to develop that space where people can trust and be vulnerable within a community. We have the ability and the space to do this. Lastly, thank you for allowing me to be part of the inner work of this community. I challenge each of you to continue to be part of the conversation and also take some time to be involved in the leadership of the church and experience a deeper engagement.